Did you remember to pack your appetite when you decided to come to Boston for business or pleasure? You won’t go home hungry at any of the following local faves.
YE OLDE UNION OYSTER HOUSE
If you feel a tap on your shoulder at America’s oldest restaurant, it’s either your server asking if you’d like more sourdough bread or the ghost of Benjamin Franklin asking if you’re having a good time. Established in 1826 at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, this is the best place in the city to get New England clam chowder. Oh, they have plenty of other specialties as well including all manner of fresh fish, grilled meats and lobster but in over 25 years of going there, I just never seem to break my tradition of always going for a big bowl of soup, a hunk of fresh bread and a glass of red wine. Heaven!
THAI BASIL
This small downstairs eatery tucked away on trendy Newbury Street was an accidental discovery that quickly turned us into returning fans every time we now visit the city. Not only is the atmosphere quiet and the economical prices well worth shouting about but the Thai cuisine you’ll find here is outstanding. The generous portions of the appetizers alone can constitute a full meal. Save room, though, for their wide variety of noodle bowls, duck tamarind, seafood specialties, pad thai, and spicy vegetables.
COTTONWOOD CAFÉ
Boston might not spring to mind as a place to find great Southwestern fare but that’s only until you step through the doors of the Cottonwood Café on Berkeley St. Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunches, you won’t want to miss the tequila sunrise salmon, the seafood fajitas or the gazpacho made from four different chile peppers. And don’t forget their signature Margaritas! Meals are also served in the expansive bar but be forewarned that it sometimes gets too noisy to hold a conversation.
SUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE COPLEY
The Fairmont Copley Plaza on St. James Avenue has been an icon of elegance for nearly a century. You can expect nothing less from its traditional Sunday champagne brunch which not only requires a reservation but appropriate dress as well. Everything you can imagine can be found at the buffet, including giant prawns, crab claws, prime rib, Shrimp Newburg, omelets and—well, you get the picture. The dessert selections alone will cause you to gain extra pounds just by looking at them.
HENRIETTA’S TABLE
Just across the river at the Charles Hotel is where you’ll find Henrietta’s Table, an informal spot to get off your feet midday and recharge for the next round of sightseeing. Henrietta’s offers comfort food in the form of old fashioned Yankee pot roast, mashed potatoes, homemade vegetable soups, generous sandwiches, and seafood casseroles. If you’re on a budget or traveling with kids, be sure to put this one on your list. It is also within easy strolling distance of Harvard so don’t be shy about ordering a slice of the Boston Cream Pie; you’ll easily walk it off.
ANTHONY’S PIER 4
Lunch and dinner with a view of the Boston skyline and harbor make Anthony’s Pier 4 on Northern Avenue a favorite with vacationing families. The house specialties generally revolve around lobster, owing to the family’s ownership of its own lobster company in Maine. The sake poached salmon and yellow fin tuna are also well deserving of recommendation. Anthony’s serves pork chops and steaks, too, though you may garner a few raised brows for coming to such a harborside landmark and ordering an entrée that once walked on land.
THE BULL AND FINCH CLUB
When “Cheers” was still running on the air, it was hard sometimes to get in the door. Curiosity seekers used to pack this Beacon Street pub just to see the setting that inspired the hit comedy and buy a lion’s share of souvenir T-shirts, beer mugs and shot glasses from the onsite gift shop. The buffalo wings and macho nachos are bib-worthy for lunch; the burger dishes and assorted pastas will quell end of the day cravings.
MAISON ROBERT
If you’re in Boston to pop a question or celebrate a special occasion, your table is waiting at Maison Robert on School Street. East meets West in cuisine that is Asian and French and complemented by an excellent wine selection. Although reservations are always recommended for the restaurant’s formal dining room, the atmosphere is a little more relaxed in its adjacent outdoor bistro. Don’t even try to think about finding a parking place on a Friday or Saturday night; rely on their valet service instead.
ABE AND LOUIE’S
Beef: it’s what’s for dinner at Abe and Louie’s Steakhouse on Boylston Street. This cozy establishment has an old world feel to it as well as an attentive yet not intrusive staff who can walk you through the menu and help you pick out the right wine to accompany your selection. Chicken and fish dishes are also available on the menu but it’s really the steaks and prime rib they do best here.
MAMMA MARIA
If the North End’s Mamma Maria Italian Restaurant had been operating on the night Paul Revere got ready to ride, the aroma of home cooking might have distracted him into eating dinner first. Interestingly, this is actually Revere’s old neighborhood. The brick townhouse located at No. 3 North Square enjoyed a colorful past as a bank, a doctor’s office and even a funeral parlor before it eventually began courting a succession of Italian restaurateurs. Mamma Maria, in business at this location since the 1980’s, features traditional recipes from Northern Italy in an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’ve been invited to the home of gregarious Italian relatives you didn’t even know you had. Each of the courses—including the antipasti—come in generous portions. The lamb and pork dishes are highly recommended.
